Loaf transfer



Nov. 14, 1939. c H. PETSKEYES 2179. 98

LOAF TRANSFER Filed May 6, 1956 :I 26 26 :3 I l I -E '5 :lmnl; I 2 2 E'/|"' 3' 5 r I 5 /3 'l Ill H ms INVENTOR nlhdrles H. Petskqyes @wwzc b ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 14, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,179,798 LOAF TRANSFER Charles H. Petskeyes, Davenport, Iowa, assignor to Micro-.Westco, Inc., Bettendorf, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Application May s, 1936, Serial No. 78,114 12 Claims. 01; 146-153) This invention relates to bread slicing and bread wrapping machines, and particularly to the means for transferring sliced loaves from the slicing machine to the wrapping machine.

In the commercial slicing of bread it frequently happens that batches of different size loaves of bread are successively run through the slicing and wrapping machine's.- 'It is desirable to provide means for adjustably timing the discharge of sliced loaves of different sizes from the slicing machineto the discharge conveyor of the slicing machine, so that each loaf will be properly positioned on the infeed conveyor of a wrapper or other machine.

It is, therefore; one of the objects of this invention to provide new and improved means for supporting the loaves of bread as they leave the slicing mechanism to properly position the sliced loaves on the discharge conveyor of the slicing machine.

Another object is to provide a bread slicing machine discharge which is adjustable, so that successive loaves leaving the slicing machine will be individually positioned between successive flights on the discharge conveyor.

A further object is to provide a discharge means of this character which can be adjusted while the slicing machine is in continuous operation...

.A still further object is to provide a simple and eflicient discharge means that will occupy a'minimum of space.

With the above and other objects in view, which willbe apparent from the following de- 5 scription, "the present'invention consists of certain features of construction and-combinations of parts.

Referring to the drawing-which illustrates. a suitable embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary'side elevation in section of one type of slicing machine to which the apparatus of the present invention maybe ppli d;

Fig. 2"is a fragmentary plan view of theT stru'c 451131118 shown in 1;

' Fig'. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

and'

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail of Fig. 1 showone type to which the apparatus of the present invention may be applied is of the reciprocalblade typein' which a plurality of cutters 5 are ing the device of the present invention adjusted arranged to reciprocate in a vertical direction, the bread "A or other baxed article being sliced,

is supported during the slicing operation by 7 means of a transfer plate '6 secured to the side frames I of the slicer and having a plurality of 5 finger portions =8 between which the cutters 5 reciprocate.

The loaves A may be. propelled over the transfer plate 6 and through the slicing mechanism 'by the flights 9 of the sheer. feedconveyor l0 Ill. The conveyor I l is the discharge conveyor of the slicing machine and may lead to the infeed conveyor of a wrapping ma'chine or if the wrapthe conveyor II are synchronously operated so 20 that the loaves A will be discharged one at a time from the plate l2 onto the conveyor H and between successive flights l3 thereof.

In order that loaves of different widths may be handled by the slicing and wrapping machine '25 working on coordination in such a way that the loaves will be properly deposited upon the infeed conveyor of the wrapping machine, 'the present invention provides a loaf transfer apron H which is extendible beyond the edge 15 of the go discharge plate I! so that successive sliced loaves can be dropped ofi'the discharge plate l2 onto the conveyor, II in various predetermined positions ,relative to the flights IS. The loaf transfer apron ll is of a fiexible material such as sheet 5 metal. It hasone end It anchored or secured to the'roller H. The loaf supporting portion ll of the apron I4 is guided and carried by suitable I supports such as the bar I! which extends transversely of, and is carriedby-the-side frames 40 1 of the slicing machine. The cylindrical roller l1 lscarried on a suitable shaft 20 journalled in the bracketsil supported by the side frames 1 of the slicingmachine. By rotating the roller ll positioned beneath the discharge plate l2 the apron M will have, its free edge 22 extended or retracted from the edge ii of the discharge plate Thus more or less of the loaf supporting portion l8 of the apron is extended over the con veyor ll so that the loaves A will be deposited in a predeterminable posltion with respect to theflights I3.

In the event relatively large loaves such as the loaves A of Fig. 1 are being sliced and wrapped, the apron ll would be considerably retracted with but a small portion .of the loaf supporting part l8 extending beyond the edge l of the discharge plate l2. If smaller loaves, such as those represented by ,B of Fig. 4 are being sliced and wrapped, a proportionately larger amount of'the loaf supporting portionwould be extended beyond the edge I5 01' the discharge plate I2 so as to carry the loaves B well out over the infeed conveyor ll End ahead of the flights l3. 7

In order that the loaf transferring apron Il may be easily adjusted, an adjusting hand wheel 23 is keyed to an extension 24 of the shaft 20. The'locking hand wheel 25 threadedly engages the extension 24 of the shaft 20 so that it may be tightened against the bracket 2| to lock the roller l1 and retain the apron l4 in an adjusted position. I

I wound from the roller II, or reeled in, thus extending it'from or drawing it .back toward the bread discharge plate l2 while the machine is in operation, permitting successive series of different sized sliced articles to be run uninterruptedly through the slicer and wrapping machine.

In adjusting the position of the apron it it is preferableto position it so that the loaf which is next in line to be deposited upon the conveyor I l will project slightly beyond the free edge 22 of the apron in order'that the loaf which was ahead of such loaf will positively be pushed off the loaf transfer apron l4 onto the conveyor Ii in such a manner that the oncoming flight l3 wi l not slide underneath the loaf coming from the apron but will positively engage and convey the same.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction' shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined in the following claims.

' What I claim-is:

1. In a slicing machine an infeedconveyor for advancing articles tothe slicing mechanism at,

' supporting an article during a slieingoperation,

an apron supported over the discharge conveyor and beneath the discharge end of the table, and means for advancing and retracting the apron with respect to the table whereby the combined effective article supporting length of the .table and apron may be increased or decreased to adjust the machine for'articlesof different size and time the discharge of sliced articles onto the discharge conveyor in synchronism with the feed intervals.

2. In a slicing machine an infeed conveyor for advancing articles to the slicing-mechanism, a discharge conveyor to convey sliced articles away from the slicing mechanism, a table arranged to receive an article from the infeed conveyor and support said article as it advances to the discharge conveyor, an apron for varying the effec' tive article supporting length of said table, and a rotatable roller for advancing and retracting the apron to adjust the combined article supporting length of the table and apron, whereby the transfer of articles from the table and apron'to the discharge conveyor may be regulated.

3. In a slicing machine an infeed conveyor for advancing articles to the slicing mechanism, a discharge conveyor to convey sliced articles away from the slicing mechanism, a table arranged to receive an article from the infeed conveyor and support said article as it advances to the discharge conveyor, an apron for varying the effective article supporting length ,of said table, a rdtatable roller for advancing and retracting the apron to adjust the combined article supporting length of the table and apron, whereby the transfer of articles from the. table and apron to the discharge conveyor may be regulated, and means for locking the roller to hold the apron in adjusted position.

4. In a slicing machine an infeed conveyor for advancing articles to the slicing mechanism, a

discharge conveyor to convey sliced articles away from the slicing mechanism, a table arranged to receive an article'from the infeed conveyor and support said article as it advances to the discharge conveyor, an apron for varying the eifec tive article supporting length of said table, a rotatable roller in engagement with the apron, a shaft for the roller supported by the slicing machine frame, a handwheel for rotating the shaft to advance and retract the apron to adjust the combined article supporting length of the table and apron, and a locking wheel to hold the roller in adjusted position.

5. An article discharge for a slicing machine comprising .a conveyor having flights thereon, means between the slicing mechanism and conveyor for supporting. sliced articles, said means having a free edgebver which-articles move to the conveyor before the conveyorflights are engageablewith the articles to forward them over the conveyor, and meansfor moving the free edge toward and away from the slicing mechanism while maintaining a substantially continuous support for the articles from the slicing mechanism to said free edge to regulate the distance between said mechanism and the beginning of article forwarding movement by the conveyor flights.

6. An article discharge for a slicing machine comprising a conveyor having flights thereon, means between the slicing mechanism and conveyor for supporting sliced articles, said means supported independently of the conveyor and having a free edge over which articles move to .the conveyor before the conveyor flights are engageable with the articles to forward them over the conveyor, and means for moving the free edge toward and away from the slicing mechanism while maintaining a substantially continuous support for the articles from theslicing mechanism to said free edge to regulate the distance between. said mechanism and the beginning of ahticle forwarding movement by the conveyor flights. '3

'7. In a slicing machine a feed conveyor for advancing articles to the slicing mechanism, a discharge conveyor having flightsthereon to conduct articles away from the slicing mechanism, means between the slicing mechanism and the discharge conveyor for supporting sliced articles, said means having a free edge over which articles move to the discharge conveyor before the conveyor flights are engageable with the iii ill

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ales to iorward them over the conveyor and under which the flights of the discharge conveyor pass prior to article-conducting movement, and means ior altering the effective length of the supporting means between the slicing mechanism and the tree edge while maintaining a substantially continuous support for the articles from the slicing mechanism, to said free edge thereby regulating the distance between said mechanism and the beginning of article-advancing movement of the discharge conveyor flights.

t. In a slicing machine a ieed conveyor ha ghts thereon to advance articles to the slicing mechanism, a discharge conveyor operated in ed relation with the feed conveyor and havlug-flights thereon to conduct articles away from the slicing mechanism, means between the slicing mechanism and the discharge conveyor ior supporting sliced articles, said means having a free edge over which articles move to the discharge conveyor beiore the conveyor flights are engageable with the articles to toward them over the conveyor and under which the flights of the discharge conveyor pass prior to article-conducting movement, and means for altering the eflective length of the supporting means between the slicing mechanism and the free edge while maintaining a substantially continuous support for the articles irom the slicing mechanism to said free edge thereby regulating the distance between said mechanism and the beginning oi article-advanc ing movement of the discharge conveyor flights.

9. In combination with a mechanism for individually operating on a succession of articles, an inieed conveyor having flights thereon for advancing articles to the mechanism, a discharge conveyor having flights thereon for conducting articles away from the mechanism, means ior supporting the articles during said operation and extending in overlying relation with respect to the discharge conveyor, said means having an adjustable free edge over which articles mo've prior to being engaged by flights of the discharge conveyor, and means for moving the free edge toward and away from the mechanism while maintaming a substantially continuous support for the articles from the slicing mechanism to said free edge for varying the distance between said mechanism and the beginning of article-conducting movement oi the article discharge conveyor ghts.

it. In combination with a mechanism for operating on a succession of articles, a feed conveyor having flights thereon for individually advancing articles to the mechanism, a discharge conveyor having flights thereon for individually port required when the size of articles operated on by the mechanism is altered.

ii. In a slicing machine having a plurality of spaced movable cutters, a conveyor having flights thereon for forwarding sliced articles received from the slicing mechanism, means extending between the cutters i'or supporting an article during the slicing thereof, a member extending between the snpport means and the conveyor for sustaining sliced articles as they move from the cutters to the conveyor, said member having a free edge over which articles move tozthe conveyor heiore the conveyor flights are engageable with the articles to forward them over the conveyor,v and means for moving the free edge of the member toward and away from the slicingrne mm; m while maintaining a substantially continuous support for articles from the cutters .(to d free edge and without moving the supporting means between the cutters to regulate the distance between said cutters and the position of an article, at which it isengaged by a flight of said conveyor, to be iorwarded thereby.

12. in a machine having a slicing mechanism, iced means for advancing articles tothe mechanism, discharge means operated in. timed relation to the iced means for individually conducting sliced articles away from the mechanism, means between said mechanism andthe discharge means for supporting sliced articles, said supporting means having an edge over which articles move to the discharge-means before said discharge means. is conductivelyengageable with the articles, and means for altering the eflective length of the supporting means between the mechanism and said edge while maintaining a substantially continuous support for the articles from the mechanism to said edge thereby altering the distance between the mechanism and the 

